My Kitchen, My World - Ireland

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Well, it is a few days late but better late than never! Guess what we had for dinner? That's right we had corned beef and cabbage. Now, let me stop you before you say "But corned beef and cabbage isn't even Irish!". Guess What? You're wrong! It is an Irish dish. It may not be a very popular dish in Ireland but it is most certainly an Irish dish. I did some research on this because I was tired of people informing me it wasn't Irish. I figured the tradition had to start somewhere so I decided to find out the answer. I found a great article written by Megan O. Steintrager. The entire article can be found at Epicurious.

Here are some highlights from her article~

Americans still think we live on corned beef and cabbage over here," says Irish cookbook author and teacher Darina Allen.

In fact, the dish that's synonymous with St. Patrick's Day and all things Irish in the U.S. is so rarely eaten in Ireland—for the holiday or otherwise—that some people wonder if it's actually Irish. In Irish Country Cooking, Malachi McCormick says he likes corned beef, but then adds: "But our national dish? No, it's a New World dish!" Furthermore, thanks to the many awful versions served in bars in the U.S.—and washed down with plastic cups of green beer—this one-pot meal is often reviled by Irish Americans and Irish-for-a-Day Americans or, at the very least, relegated to a sloshy once-a-year tradition.

So let's set a few things straight: First, corned beef and cabbage is most definitely Irish. Second, when properly made it's "delicious," says Allen Third, with the current multicontinent trend of chefs looking to the past for inspiration coupled with a craze among food-lovers for all things cured, this briny classic is poised for a comeback.
Although corned beef is "almost a forgotten flavor in Ireland," according to Allen it was once an extremely popular and important food for all classes. To "corn" something is simply to preserve it in a salty brine (the term corn refers to the coarse grains of salt used for curing). In the days before refrigeration, corning was essential for storing meat, especially from large animals like cows. Historically, beef that was slaughtered and corned before the winter was served with the first fresh spring cabbage to break the Lenten fast on Easter.

Corned beef has always been associated with Cork City, because, Allen explains, "that was the provisioning port for boats before they crossed the Atlantic." In fact, between the 1680s and 1825, corning beef was Cork City's most important industry. The meat was exported to Britain, continental Europe, and as far away as Newfoundland and the West Indies.

These days in Ireland, corned beef is still most associated with County Cork, where Allen's Ballymaloe Cookery School and the Ballymaloe House and restaurant started by Allen's mother-in-law, Myrtle Allen, are based. Corned beef is sold at the English Market, a huge covered market in Cork City, and is also available at the Farmgate Café within the market—Allen says Ballymaloe House also serves it occasionally for lunch. "So there are people who eat it all the time."

But even in Cork, Allen says, corned beef "seems to be a flavor that a lot of older people enjoy more than younger people." Why, then, has corned beef dwindled in popularity? "The Irish economy is very, very strong, and with that comes changes in people's diets," she says. Yet for Irish immigrants, many of whom fled their famine-stricken homeland during the heyday of corned beef, the dish remained important. "The immigrants brought it with them and it became sort of like a cult food," says Allen. "I think what happens sometimes when people immigrate is life stands still. Their memories of a country, and of the traditions, stay as it was when they left."

But with so many chefs looking to the past for inspiration, corned beef could be poised for a comeback in its country of origin. "[Irish] chefs are serving a lot of peasant foods and highlighting them again," says Allen. D.I.Y. fever could also play a role in corned beef's return to the Irish table. "Over here, just as over on your side [of the Atlantic], a lot of younger people are getting involved in curing their own bacons and hams and things again, making sausages and salamis," says Allen, who runs a series of "forgotten skills" courses at Ballymaloe Cookery School, teaching students how to keep chickens, make homemade sausages, build a smokehouse, and so forth.

So there you have it. If you are Irish, Irish-America, or just wish you were Irish enjoy your corned beef and cabbage! Here is our St. Patrick's Day dinner!


Now, if I could only go to Ballymaloe Cooking School!

My Kitchen, My World - Cuba

I am so happy that My Kitchen, My World is back after a holiday hiatus. This week we travelled to Cuba. I have always wanted to go to Cuba. It is definitely on my list of places to go before I die. My friend Holly and I even started planning a trip there but with our crazy lives it didn't happen...yet!

Those of you who know me well know my love of a good sandwich. I love sammies so very much. So much so I made a Cuban sandwich. Loads of pork, pickles, and freshly baked Cuban rolls.


Cuban Rolls ~



Ingredients
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (17 ounces)
4 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (instant or active dry)
4 tablespoons butter (can substitute 3 tablespoons fresh lard, cut into small pieces)
1 1/4 cups water

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or dough-rising bucket, cover the bowl or bucket, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 hour, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. Gently fold the dough in upon itself and turn it upside-down after 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into six pieces and shape each piece into a rough log. Let the logs rest for 15 minutes, covered, then shape each piece into a smooth batard shape (a log about 8 inches long, slightly tapered at each end). Place the loaves on a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet.

Let the loaves rise, covered, for 1 hour. Brush or spray them with water, and slash one long lengthwise slit down the middle of each loaf. Preheat the oven to 375°F while the loaves are rising. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes, or until it's golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool it on a rack.

Sandwich Cubano ~


Cuban bread
Butter, softened
1 pound ham sliced
1 pound lechón asado (roasted Cuban pork) (recipe below)
1/2 pound Swiss cheese, sliced
Sliced dill pickles

Preheat a pancake griddle or large fry pan. I cheated and used our George Foreman grill.

Cut bread in half. Make each sandwich with the ingredients in this order: pickles, roasted pork, ham, and cheese. Be generous! Spread butter on the top of the roll.

Place the sandwich on the hot griddle (fry pan) sprayed with a little "Pam" or lightly greased. Place a heavy iron skillet or bacon press on top of the sandwich to flatten. (You really want to smash the sandwich, compressing the bread to about 1/3 its original size!) I pressed down on our grill really hard to flatten them.

Grill the sandwiches for two to three minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden. Slice the sandwich in half diagonally and serve.

Roast Pork

(1) 2 to 4-pound pork shoulder roast OR pork loin roast (NOTE: You'll only need about 1 pound of the cooked meat for the Cuban sandwich recipe above.)
1 head garlic -- about 10 to 15 cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 cup sour orange juice (If you can't get sour oranges in your area, use two parts fresh orange to one part fresh lemon and one part fresh lime)
1 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 cup Spanish olive oil

Mash garlic, salt, and peppercorns into a paste, using a mortar and pestle. Stir in sour orange juice, onion, and oregano. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan until hot, but NOT deep frying hot! We’re looking for something in the neighborhood of 220 degrees F. Remove the oil from heat and quickly whisk in the garlic-orange juice mixture until well blended. Let cool before using as a marinade!

Pierce pork roast as many times as you can with a sharp knife or fork. Pour garlic mixture (save a little for basting while roasting) over pork, cover and let sit in refrigerator for two to three hours.

Using a suitable roasting pan or rack, sprinkle remaining marinade over pork and cook uncovered at 325°F. Roast until completely cooked (160°F), about 20 minutes per pound. Baste occasionally. Bring pan juices to a boil and simmer until the juice is reduced by half. Sprinkle some juice onto the pork when you put it in the sandwich.


Yum!!! I can't wait to make them again!!

My Kitchen, My World - Thanksgiving

This week for My Kitchen, My World we are celebrating Thanksgiving. Each member is posting their favorite Thanksgiving recipe.

My favorite recipe is Curried Cauliflower. My mom and aunt have been making this since I was a kid. This is the holiday dish in my family. Now, don't get too excited. It isn't fancy, gourmet, or Indian. It has cream of mushroom soup in it. It can't be the holidays without one cream of mushroom soup dish!

Curried Cauliflower

2 big heads of cauliflower
2 can cream of mushroom soup 10.5 ounce can
2/3 cup mayo
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp curry powder (I always put way more in because I love curry powder)

cook cauliflower for 10 minutes, boiling, drain.
combine rest of ingredients and then pour on top cauliflower
Bake for 30 minutes at 350.


It is very simple, definitely not fancy, but extremely delish!!

My Kitchen, My World - Iran

This week for My Kitchen, My World we traveled to Iran courtesy of Elra of Elra's Cooking.

We have been eating seafood all week (Agnes LOVES seafood) so I made a Persian bistro shrimp dish. It was heavenly. Sean asked if we could have this every couple of weeks.

I served it over saffron rice. Delish!




Ginger-Apricot Shrimp

12 dried apricot halves
12 pitted dried plums (prunes)
2/3 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mango chutney, large pieces chopped
2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate*
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup matchstick-size strips peeled carrot
16 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 green onion, chopped

Preparation

Place apricots and plums in small heatproof bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover. Let stand 15 minutes to soften. Drain and quarter all fruit.

Meanwhile, mix 2/3 cup broth with soy sauce, mango chutney, tamarind concentrate, and sugar in small bowl. Whisk cumin, curry powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper in another small bowl. DO AHEAD: Fruit, broth mixture, and spice blend can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand separately at room temperature.

Heat vegetable oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saut until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and saut 30 seconds. Add apricots, plums, and carrot; saut until onion begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and spice blend, stirring to coat. Cook until shrimp are pink on both sides but still uncooked in center, about 2 minutes. Add broth mixture; cover and cook until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 1 minute, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if sauce is too thick. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with green onion and serve

My Kitchen, My World - Puerto Rico

This week we travel to Puerto Rico for My Kitchen, My World. Agnes decided we were having fish for dinner. So we made Grilled Fish with Sofrito Sauce and Plátanos Asados.It was extremely easy and quick to put together. This will definitely go into our dinner rotation.




Grilled Fish with Sofrito Sauce and Plátanos Asados

Olive oil-flavored cooking spray
1 underripe plantain
1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
2 (6-ounce) grouper fillets (about 1/2 inch thick) (I couldn't find grouper anywhere here in Portland so I used halibut instead)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
½ cup Sofrito Sauce
2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
Chopped cilantro (optional)
1 green plantain

Sofrito Sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup diced onion
½ cup seeded & diced green bell pepper
7 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Blend everything in a blender or food processors.

Cut plantain in half lengthwise; cut each half crosswise into 2 pieces. Spray plantain pieces with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until golden and slightly soft. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Drizzle fish with lime juice; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and minced cilantro. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Top fish and plantains with sofrito sauce and sour cream, and serve with plantain pieces. Garnish with chopped cilantro.


**I had to borrow a picture from http://www.elboricua.com/. I took pictures of dinner tonight but when I went to download them I realized I hadn't put the memory card back in the camera. Whoops! It was still sitting in memory card reader from when I downloaded pictures of my Dachshund cupcakes. LOL

My Kitchen, My World - Ireland

I was so excited to be chosen to pick our country this week for My Kitchen, My World. With the weather getting cold and rainy here in the Pacific Northwest I wanted comfort food so I chose Ireland.

Sean and I traveled through Ireland a few years ago. It was a fantastic holiday! We met new friends, ran into some old friends, saw some amazing history, had some horrible food (does everything have to be fried lol), and had one of the best meals of my life.

We were fortunate to stay at Ballynahinch Castle for one night. We had a beautiful suite that faced the river. I never wanted to leave. I felt like a princess. The night we had dinner in the restaurants is one of my favorite travel memories. The food was spectacular. The service perfect. I had always wanted to drink champagne in a castle so Sean made sure there was a bottle for us. Yeah, he is a good guy.

Not far from the castle is Kylemore Abbey This beautiful castle has been the home to an order of Benedictine nuns since the 1920's.


In honor of Sister Ita who was in her 90's when she died I have made her sultana scone recipe. Can you say yum? Agnes has eating almost 4 of them! Smear them with some double cream, black currant jam, and a cuppa. It is the perfect way to start the day.

SISTER ITA'S SULTANA SCONES
4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup sultanas
1/2 oz mixed candied citrus peel (optional)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk

Sieve the flour, baking soda, and the salt into a bowl, and rub in the butter. Add the sugar, fruit, and peel, if using. Mix well. Beat the eggs and mix with the milk, reserving a little to brush over the scones. Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the eggs and milk and mix to a soft dough. Turn out on to a floured board and roll out to about 1 inch thick. Cut into rounds, using a 2 1/2 inch fluted cutter. Brush over with some beaten egg. Put on to a greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated hot oven (400°F) for 15-20 minutes. Turn out on to a wire tray to cool.

Here are a few words about Sister Ita from the Kylemore Abbey cookbook~ From the days of the Abbey Guest House of the 1950's to the tour buses of the 1990's and right up to her retirement a few years ago at the age of 90, Sister Ita's scones were legendary in Connemara. She is sadly missed by visitors, drivers, and guides who fondly recall her friendship and warm hospitality.

For dinner last night I made a family favorite Shepherd's Pie. This recipe comes from my favorite pub back The Wynkoop. The Wynkoop holds a very special place in my heart. I met Sean the for the first time 17 years ago at the Wynkoop! I loved working at the pub. I am still friends with people I worked with so long ago and since moving to Vancouver I crave the food. I had a friend get in touch with the original chef to get the recipe for me. The first bite brought back so many memories. Now, if I could only get a pint of Railyard!

Wynkoop Brewing Company's Shepherd's Pie

For the pie crust:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (or lard)
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ice cold water

For the vegetables:
1 1/2 cups carrots, diced
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 teaspoon paprika (sweet is best)

For the lamb and sauce:
1/4 cup canola oil
2 pounds lamb stew meat (use good-quality lamb for best flavor)
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 quarts beef stock or bouillon
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
4 bay leaves

For shepherd's pie:
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 to 6 cups mashed potatoes (recipe of your choice)

To make pie crust: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cut the shortening into the sifted flour with a pastry cutter or by using two butter knives. Add the salt and cold water and mix with your hands until mixture comes together. If too dry, add a bit more cold water. Do not over mix. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1/2 hour or until you are ready to use it.

For the vegetables: In a large heavy skillet or saut?© pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add vegetables and spices and cook until vegetables just turn tender, about 10 minutes. They should still have some "bite" to them. Place in bowl and set aside.

Prepare mashed potatoes, using your own recipe; set aside.

For the lamb and sauce: Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or saucepan until hot.

Season meat with salt and pepper, and then carefully add lamb to oil in pan and brown meat on all sides. Do not crowd meat in pan. Cook in batches if necessary.

When meat is browned, return all meat to pan, reduce heat to medium and add shallots and garlic.

Sprinkle flour slowly over meat while stirring continually to avoid lumps. Once flour is incorporated, cook for 5 minutes, stirring continually and scraping the bottom of the pan to avoid burning.

Slowly add red wine, then stock, stirring and scraping pan sides and bottom. Add tomato paste, rosemary and bay leaves and turn up the heat to bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to one hour or until meat is tender.

Strain meat from sauce and set meat aside to cool. Remove bay leaves. Pour the sauce in a medium saucepan and cover; set aside on a low burner to keep warm. Stir occasionally to keep skin from forming.

To assemble the pie: Spray a 9-by-13-by-2 glass or metal casserole dish with nonstick spray. Spread pastry dough over bottom of dish and up the sides, pressing to make the dough thin and even. Cut off any excess dough at top of dish.

Spread 2 cups of the mashed potatoes evenly across the pie crust. Place half of the lamb meat on top of the potatoes.

Top the lamb meat with all of the vegetable mixture and then add the remaining lamb meat.

Cover the dish with enough mashed potatoes to fill the casserole.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until casserole has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

When cooked, remove pie from oven and top with Parmesan cheese and return to oven until cheese is lightly browned.

To serve: Ladle hot lamb sauce into a wide serving bowl and place a serving of pie on top, or place pie on a plate and spoon sauce on top.

Garnish with some chopped green onions, if desired.




This recipe makes a huge amount of food. We will be having Shepherd's Pie for a few nights!!

My Kitchen, My World - Argentina

This week Teresa of I'm Running to Eat chose Argentina. I was so tempted to grill a steak and make some chimichurri but I wanted to make something I had never had. After some research I decided on Carbonada en Zapallo (pumpkin stuffed with beef and vegetable stew). It was so much fun to make. I have never roasted an entire pumpkin! And, I have never served anything out of a big, giant pumpkin. Agnes loved it!


What's inside the pumpkin?

Pumpkin Stuffed with Beef and Vegetable Stew

1 medium pumpkin

6 tablespoons salted butter, melted

2 lbs. stew beef, cut into 1 1/2″ cubes

2 large red onions, sliced thin

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, sliced

5 garlic cloves, chopped

3 dried red chillies, snapped in half

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed or 1 teaspoon ground

1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds, crushed or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground

2 large yams, cubed

6 to 10 new potatoes, quartered

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 cup red lentils

3/4 cup dried peaches or dried pears, halved

4 cobs of corn, quartered

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

6 cups water, more if needed

corn or olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, F. Cut a lid off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the insides.

2. Brush the pumpkin, inside and out, with butter and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 50 to 70 minutes. The pumpkin should be cooked through but not collapsing on itself.

1. Place a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat, pour in two tablespoons of oil and when it shimmers, add the beef. Brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove beef from pot.

3. Add onions, peppers and garlic to pot and saute until onion is translucent. Add spices and saute for 3 minutes. Add chilies and saute for half a minute. Add meat, yams, new potatoes, lentils, tomatoes, dried fruit, salt, pepper and water to pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about half an hour until the potatoes are tender. Add more water if needed.

4. Add corn and cook for another 4 minutes. Stir half the cilantro into stew. Pour stew into pumpkin, top with remaining cilantro and bring to the table. Serve.




I will definitely be making the stew again. While the pumpkin was really fun to make I would only make again if we had company.

My Kitchen, My World - Morocco

This week in My Kitchen, My World, Judy of Judy's Gross Eats chose Morocco.
What a fun challenge. There are so many spice combinations with Moroccan cooking. Too bad I couldn't get Sean to do a belly dance for me before dinner!!


I didn't get a chance to take photos but we had Fish Tagine with Peppers and Olives served with couscous.

Moroccan Fish Tagine With Peppers And Olives

Serves 4.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
4 6-ounce white fish fillets (such as halibut or orange roughy)
1 pound carrots, peeled, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 medium-size red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
24 brine-cured olives (such as Kalamata)
Additional Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Mix first 7 ingredients in medium bowl. Add fish and turn to coat. Refrigerate 2 hours, turning fish occasionally.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Arrange carrot slices over bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Layer half of tomatoes, half of onion and half of lemon over. Season with half of salt and pepper.
Drain marinade from fish; reserve marinade.
Arrange fish atop lemon slices. Top fish with remaining tomato, onion and lemon slices. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Top decoratively with red pepper strips and olives. Pour reserved marinade over. Cover dish with foil. Bake 40 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
and bake until fish flakes easily and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Garnish with additionally parsley.

Arrange fish atop lemon slices. Top fish with remaining tomato, onion and lemon slices. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Top decoratively with red pepper strips and olives. Pour reserved marinade over. Cover dish with foil. Bake 40 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
and bake until fish flakes easily and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Garnish with additionally parsley.

My Kitchen, My World - Have to skip this week

I would like to apologize to Andrea of http://nummykitchen.blogspot.com/ for having to miss this week.

I was so excited to see Lithuania picked for our country this week. I had a lot of fun researching the culture and food.

But after I found out I am having surgery on Wednesday I didn't have time to get stuff together well trying to prepare for Weds.

All I know is when I recover I am making some grybas cepilinai! Yum!

My Kitchen, My World - Indonesia

I was honored to be chosen to host this week over at My Kitchen, My World. The country I chose is Indonesia. I have been to Indonesia a couple of times. Once with my best friend Jody and the other with Sean on our honeymoon. Indonesia is made up of over 17,000 island so it saddens me I have seen so little of the county.

Jody and I went in 2000 to Bali. The day after we arrived we thought it would be great if we rented a Jeep and toured the island on our own. That day is one of the best days of my life. I don't think Jody and I will ever laugh that hard again. One of our first stops was the monkey sanctuary in Ubud. When we were getting out of the car I told Jody don't lock the keys in the car. Guess what? OMG. I think the entire village of Ubud tried to open our car with every tool available. Nothing was working. Then a very, very old man walked up, stuck his car key in the door, and unlocked our car door!!! I wish I had a picture of him but as soon as he unlocked the car, he turned, and walked away.

A few of our saviors.


There are so many beautiful things to see in Bali. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking.


This kind of scenery wasn't too bad to look at either! Oh, how I love those little blond surfer boys!


We did all the touristy things. Here we are at Ulu Watu. Seriously, so beautiful.

Jody and Michelle - 2000


Sean and Michelle - 2001


We went to a Kecak dance that totally blew us away. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. It puts you into a complete trance. But of all the things Jody and I and Sean and I did we ate good food. I mean really, really, really good food.

The places I preferred to eat at were the small family run warungs that you can find while wandering down a gang (alley). I crave the food I ate in Indonesia. The smell of the spice market, the beauty of the open kitchens, the smiling faces of the proprietors.

The owner of my favorite warung putting giving an offering. This woman made killer Nasi Goreng. I can't even think about it without drooling.


Tonight I made my dinner in honor of all of those fantastic meals I have eaten and all the wonderful people I have met on my travels in Indonesia.

We were lucky enough to be able to get a few of the ingredients out of our backyard.


We made Lumpia, Udang Goreng, Sambal Udang, Mie Goreng, and Chicken Satay with peanut sauce**. Since I have a broken arm Sean helped me out a lot!

Lumpia Semarang and Udang Goreng (Indonesian spring roll and fried shrimp)-


Sambal Udang (Prawns in chili sauce) -


Mie Goreng - (Fried Noodles)


Chicken Satay and peanut sauce -


The only things missing were some ice cold Bintangs and the sound of the ocean crashing to the shore. Dinner made me so happy tonight. It made me almost as happy as this...almost.


**I didn't post recipes this week because it was hard enough getting this all typed up with my arm. If there is a recipe you would like I would be more than happy to send it to you.

My Kitchen, My World - England

I had a really nice entry I wanted to type up for this week but I broke my freaking arm!! I was vacuuming our stairs today and managed to fall down them backwards bringing the vacuum with me. OMG. I am in so much pain. This royally sucks! I have a bunch of baking to get done tomorrow for our Labor Day party. Sean has said he will be my baking assistant tomorrow. I am SO lucky to have him!


This week Megan of My Baking Adventures picked England for our country. I knew immediately what I wanted to make. Curry! I love pub curry. The couple of times I have been to England and when I went to Ireland I lived on pub curry. Served with rice or chips I didn't care as long as I had a good pint to go with it.

We hit our local farm to pick up the veggies. We bought broccoli, fresh picked baby carrots, onion, and some goegeous purple cauliflower. Agnes fell in love with the cauliflower. Since she can eat a little bit of spicy I steamed some cauliflower separately for her. She ate almost a cup of it!! I think we have a new favorite veggie at Casa Dargen.



This most likely not the correct way to make pub curry but this is how I do it. :)

First - poach the chicken. When it is cooked I chop it up.

Second - throw all the chopped up veggies into water and boil until just tender.

Third - drop in the curry mix.I used my favorite curry mix by S & B. This stuff is the bomb. But as you can tell I don't follow the instructions at all.


Let the curry melt into the water. When it is all mixed in add the chicken. Let it simmer for about an hour. The longer it cooks the better the flavor. This stuff is SO good the next day.

Serve in a bowl with rice or chips.

I went with chips this time and a Bridgeport Ropewalk amber beer.



I was just like being at the pub except no ciggie smoke and no room at the bar!!




***With the broken arm and the pain killers I am not responsible for any grammatical errors.

My Kitchen, My World - Jamaica

This week Laura of One Happy Hubbard picked the lovely country of Jamaica for our My Kitchen, My World weekly menu. I was so excited about cooking a Jamaican menu this week but things just didn't go as planned. Things have been crazy here at Casa Dargen so I had to improvise for a Jamaican dinner tonight.

I made a very simple Jerk Chicken salad. We hit up our local farm to pick up the lettuce, red onion, and mango. I sprinkled the chicken breast with a bit of veggie oil and then rubbed them down with jerk seasonings. After grilling the chicken breasts I chopped them up and tossed them with fresh lettuce, mangos, and some diced red onion. I gave the salad a little squirt of lime juice and served it with a balsamic vinaigrette.

What a simple, delicious, and refreshing meal for a warm summer night. Mmm...

My Kitchen, My World ~ United States of America

This week for the My Kitchen, My World challenge we are celebrating the Olympics by choosing the country where we are from. Since I am a proud American I decided to make what I think is the All-American meal.

I don't think it gets any more American than grilled cheeseburgers, potato salad, slow-cooked beans, fresh squeezed lemonade, and lemon bars for dessert.




The Hamburgers ~ made with local beef, topped with a local bacon, a couple slices of Tillamook Cheddar, and served on a locally made potato bread bun. Delish!

Ruby Kaye's Baked Beans - Ruby Kaye is my mom!



1 pound navy or pea beans
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1. Discard any discolored beans. In a large bowl, combine the beans with plenty of cold water and soak overnight for 6 to 8 hours.

2. Drain the beans. In a large pot, combine the beans and enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to simmer, and cook for 45 minutes or until they are just tender (it may take longer if the beans are old or the soaking time was short). Drain the beans and set aside the cooking liquid.

3. Set the oven at 325 degrees. In a bean pot or deep casserole with a lid, combine the beans, onion, mustard, dark and light brown sugars, molasses, and salt. Add enough of the cooking liquid to just cover the beans. Stir to blend them.

4. Bring the liquid to a boil on top of the stove, then transfer to the oven and bake for 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes to make sure the beans don't dry. Add more cooking liquid if necessary.

5. When the beans are tender, uncover the pot and cook for 20 to 30 minutes more to make a slightly crusty top.

6. My mom makes hers in a crockpot. I do the same thing. It is a lot easier.



Simple Potato Salad -




Ingredients:

2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
3 to 4 eggs, hard-cooked and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons diced dill pickle
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

Cut the potatoes into small, bite-size chunks and place in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and boil for about 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender. Pour off water, set the pan in a sink or larger pan of cold water to cool the potatoes quickly.
In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with eggs, celery, red onion, green onions, and diced dill pickle. In another bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Add to the potatoes and stir gently to combine. Fold in the dill and add salt and pepper to taste.




My Agave Nectar Lemonade ~

4 lemons
Light Agave Nectar
1 1/2 quarts water

Juice lemons. Put fresh lemon juice in pitcher. Add water (you may need to add more or less depending on how much juice you have). Sweeten with Agave Nectar to taste. Serve over ice or chill.

It is extra tasty with a couple dashes of vodka. :)

Agave Nectar is one of my most favorite foods on the planet. I almost like it better than honey.



Pucker You Up Lemon bars ~

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 lemons, juiced
DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/12 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust. At this time I top mine with riwwel.**
4. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool.

**Riwwel is a Germans from Russia crumb topping that is used for cakes, pastries, and even some soups! I am very proud of my Germans from Russia heritage (I am 1/2 Irish too) and love to cook the recieps my Grandma has passed down to me. I look forward to sharing them with Agnes.

Riwwel (Crumb Topping) Recipe:

In a bowl, mix 1 c. sugar and 2 c. flour. Add 1/2 c. melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly. For a crunchy topping, mix 2 tsp. water into the crumb mixture.


It's a good thing we don't eat like this often or I would be as big as a house. The giant burger in the photo was Sean's. Agnes and I had smaller versions. :)

I can't wait until next weeks challenge. I am still trying to figure out what to make!

My Kitchen, My World ~ Mexico

I was so excited when I found out Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies chose Mexico as our culinary adventure for My Kitchen, My World. I love Mexican food. It is my favorite food on the face of planet. I could eat it every single day. There is something so wonderful about the cuisine of Mexico. From the simple taco to the complexity and depth of a Oaxacan Molé.

I was torn on what to make. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest from Colorado I have not been able to find good, authentic Mexican food. It makes me so sad. I have been craving a bowl of green chile. All I want is a bowl of freakin' green chile!! I thought I could make green chile but seemed boring and too easy. Then I thought I would make my mole recipe that can take up to 2 days to complete. But decided I wanted to make something I had never made before. I decided on tamales.

Rick Bayless is a personal hero of mine. I would love to travel to all the small towns he goes to in Mexico. When Agnes is old enough I plan on taking her on a Mexican culinary adventure based on his and Diane Kennedy's writings. Anyhoo, his recipes have always worked perfectly for me so I thought I would use his Green Chile Chicken Tamale recipe.

I had never made tamales by myself. I've been in the same room as someone making tamales but I wasn't much help. I just wanted them to hurry up and finish so I could eat them. LOL I wanted to complete this task all by myself. I was surprised to learn that tamales are a time consuming task but an easy one. Let me tell you it is worth the time.

I made the batter and the filling the night before. I think this is absolutely necessary task. It helped make my tamale day go quickly.

Tamales de Pollo con Chile Verde - Green Chile Chicken Tamales ~ Rick Bayless
MAKES ABOUT 24 TAMALES

Ingredients
1 8-ounce package dried cornhusks
Procedure
Preparing the cornhusks. Cover the husks with very hot water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged, and let stand for a couple of hours until the husks are pliable.
For forming the tamales, separate out 24 of the largest and most pliable husks—ones that are at least 6 inches across on the wider end and 6 or 7 inches long. If you can’t find enough good ones, overlap some of the large ones to give wide, sturdy surfaces to spread the batter on. Pat the chosen husks dry with a towel.


For the filling:
Ingredients
1 pound (10 to 12 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 4 to 6 serranos or 2 to 3 jalapeños), stemmed
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1½ tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
3 to 3½ cups chicken broth
Salt
4 cups (about 1 pound) coarsely shredded, cooked chicken, preferably grilled, roasted or rotisserie chicken
2/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Preparing the filling. On a baking sheet, roast the tomatillos about 4 inches below a very hot broiler until soft (they’ll blacken in spots), about 5 minutes; flip them over and roast the other side. Cool and transfer to a food processor or blender, along with all the delicious juice that has run onto the baking sheet. Add the chiles and garlic and process to a smooth puree. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium high. When quite hot, add the puree all at once and stir until noticeably thicker and darker, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer over medium heat until thick enough to coat a spoon quite heavily, about 10 minutes. Taste and season highly with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons. Stir in the chicken and cilantro; cool completely.


For the batter:
Ingredients
10 ounces (1 1/3 cups) rich-tasting pork lard (or vegetable shortening if you wish), slightly softened but not at all runny
1½ teaspoons baking powder
2 pounds (4 cups) fresh coarse-ground corn masa for tamales OR 3 ½ cups dried masa harina for tamales mixed with 2¼ cups hot water. (I used the dried masa)

Procedure
With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the lard or shortening with 2 teaspoons salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about 1 minute. Continue beating as you add the masa (fresh or reconstituted) in three additions. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add 1 cup of the remaining broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a ½-teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water (if it floats you can be sure the tamales will be tender and light). Beat in enough of the remaining ½ cup of broth to give the mixture the consistency of soft (not runny) cake batter; it should hold its shape in a spoon. Taste the batter and season with additional salt if you think it needs some. For the lightest textured tamales, refrigerate the batter for an hour or so, then rebeat, adding a little more broth or water to bring the mixture to the soft consistency it had before.



Forming the tamales

Cut twenty-four 8- to 10-inch pieces of string or thin strips of cornhusks. One at a time, form the tamales: Lay out one of your chosen cornhusks with the tapering end toward you. Spread about ¼ cup of the batter into about a 4-inch square, leaving at least a 1 ½-inch border on the side toward you and a ¾-inch border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger).

Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of the filling down the center of the batter.


Pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together (this will cause the batter to surround the filling). If the uncovered borders of the two long sides you’re holding are narrow, tuck one side under the other; if wide, roll both sides in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is small, you may feel more comfortable wrapping the tamal in a second husk.) Finally, fold up the empty 1 ½-inch section of the husk (to form a tightly closed “bottom” leaving the top open), and secure it in place by loosely tying one of the strings or strips of husk around the tamal.

As they’re made, stand the tamales on their folded bottoms in the prepared steamer. Don’t tie the tamales too tightly or pack them too closely in the steamer. They need room to expand.


Steaming 24 husk-wrapped tamales can be done in batches in a collapsible vegetable steamer set into a large, deep saucepan. To steam them all at once, you need something like the kettle-size tamal steamers used in Mexico or Asian stack steamers, or you can improvise by setting a wire rack on 4 coffee or custard cups in a large kettle. It is best to line the rack or upper part of the steamer with leftover cornhusks to protect the tamales from direct contact with the steam and to add more flavor. Make sure to leave tiny spaces between the husks so condensing steam can drain off.


Steaming and serving the tamales. When all the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover cornhusks; if your husk-wrapped tamales don’t take up the entire steamer, fill in the open spaces with loosely wadded aluminum foil (to keep the tamales from falling over). Set the lid in place and steam over a constant medium heat for about 1 ¼ hours. Watch carefully that all the water doesn’t boil away and, to keep the steam steady, pour boiling water into the pot when more is necessary. Tamales are done when the husk peels away from the masa easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off the heat for a few minutes to firm up. For the best textured tamales, let them cool completely, then re-steam about 15 minutes to heat through.



The Finished Tamales ~ Fresh out of the steamer ~






I served them with Crème Mexicana and a few bits of torn cilantro. They turned out so delicious. I can’t wait to make them again. I have so many different things I want to fill them with. I think my next tamales will definitely be a sweet version made with strawberries.

Delicioso!!!

“If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?” ~ Chuck Palahniuk

Wow, this blog of mine has changed over the past few months. I originally started this blog as a diary about me trying to lose weight. While I am still really struggling with my weight (see this post for proof). I tend to get bored sticking with the same subject. There is so much more out there in the world that I am interested in besides my big butt.

It looks like this blog is slowly turning into a food blog but I am pretty sure in a few months it will take another new turn. It's just that I have found three interesting, fun, and brilliant food groups that I am proud to say I am a member of.

Here they are:

Daring Bakers - This is the first group I joined. I found them while reading The Hungry Housewife's blog. Every month we are given a new baking challenge and at the end of each month we all post our challenges on the same day. I have met some really great people so far! They are a great group of bakers!

My Kitchen, My World - I found out about this group while reading Xplicit Sweetness. I saw a comment left by Susan (founder of My Kitchen, My World) and sent her a message right away. I knew this was a group for me. Every week we cook a meal from a different country and post our recipes on Saturdays. I am extremely excited to post this Saturday!! I can't wait to share what I made.

Operation Baking GALS - Of the three groups this is the one I feel the most honored to be apart of. It all started when Susan of She's Becoming Doughmesstic sent out an email asking for some friends to make cookies to send to her cousin and his troop in Iraq. Can you think of a better reason to bake? I can't! I think it is an absolutely brilliant idea. Agnes and I shipped off 6 dozen (well, a few short. Miss Agnes had to taste a few LOL) cookies on Monday. I am keeping my fingers crossed they arrive almost in one piece.

I think this blog needs a new look. I think the next few days I am going to be tweaking with layouts, fonts, and colors. I stink at HTML so I can tell you it won't be fancy.

Anyhoo, I will still chat about my weight struggles I think it is time to focus on some the more positive aspects my life. I definitely think it is time to be different.

My Kitchen, My World - Greece

I joined a group of cooking bloggers called My Kitchen, My World started by Susan at She’s Becoming Doughmesstic . Every week a new destination is chosen. We all pick a recipe from that country, cook it, and post our pictures and blog on Saturdays. This was my very first week and I am so excited! This weeks country is Greece.

Now, I didn't cook a very tradition Greek dinner. I went for the Greek diner experience. There is a coffee shop in Denver called Pete's Kitchen. The place is an institution. They have been on the corner of Colfax and Race since 1942. I have spent many a tipsy evening eating gyros or breakfast burritos after a night out at the bars or many a still wearing my sunglasses hung-over mornings eating breakfast burritos at Pete's. If you live in downtown this is where you go when the bars close. Saturday and Sunday mornings the place is so packed you can wait up to an hour for a table. But it is so worth it. They have this gyro breakfast burrito smothered in greasy green chile that will cure any hang-over.

I miss Pete's. I miss the greasy food and I miss the experience of hanging out there. This is my tribute to Pete!

Gyro sandwiches on whole wheat Greek pitas (made locally at Alexis Restaurant) with homemade hummus, tzatziki sauce, locally grown lettuce, and locally grown Walla Walla onions. Seved with hand-cut fries. YUM!


I purchased the meat and pitas but made the rest. For the recipe source click on the links.

Hummus ~

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup of tahini
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup of water
parsley and olive oil to garnish
Preparation:

Put 1/2 the lemon juice and all ingredients into the blender except the chickpeas (and the parsley and oil for garnish) and blend for 5 seconds. Add the chick peas and blend on high until it reaches the the consistency of sour cream, but granular, about 10-15 seconds. Blend in remaining lemon juice to taste. If the dip is too thick but you don't want to add more lemon juice, add a little water slowly and blend until it reaches the correct consistency.

Pour into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for a few hours before serving. (It can be eaten immediately, but becomes even more flavorful if left to chill well.)

Drizzle of olive oil over the top and add a garnish of parsley before serving. Serve with pita wedges or slices of whole grain breads.

Note: Be sure to rinse the canned chickpeas well to clear away the taste of any ingredients used in the canning process.


Tzatziki Sauce -

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

16 ounces (2 cups) of thick Greek yogurt
4 to 10 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup of diced or grated cucumber (Kirby or "English")
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Preparation:

Prepare all ingredients in advance. Combine oil and lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl. Fold the yogurt in slowly, making sure it mixes completely with the oil. Add the garlic, according to taste, and the cucumber. Stir until evenly distributed. Garnish with a bit of green and serve well chilled.

Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

Add mint or dill: Slight variations include 1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill and/or fresh mint. Tasty additions!

Shopping Tip:

The thick, full-fat yogurts available at Greek, Middle Eastern, and specialty food markets - or a commercial full-fat strained yogurt - will give the best results. You can also make your own strained yogurt using full-fat, low-fat, or fat-free commercial yogurt.

Preparation Tips:

Kirby or "English" cucumbers work best (usually wrapped in plastic wrap at the market). If not available, peel and seed the cucumber before dicing or grating.
After dicing or grating the cucumber, pat it dry with absorbent toweling to remove excess moisture.
The longer the tzatziki is refrigerated before serving, the more intense the garlic taste will become.
Storage:

Tzatziki will store safely in the refrigerator for several days. If excess liquid accumulates on top, just pour it off.




The whole thing put together ~